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About Me

Hussam has been a lifelong human rights activist who is passionate about promoting democratic societies, in the US and worldwide, in which all people, including immigrants, workers, minorities, and the poor enjoy freedom, justice, economic justice, respect, and equality. Mr. Ayloush frequently lectures on Islam, media relations, civil rights, hate crimes and international affairs. He has consistently appeared in local, national, and international media.
Full biography at:
http://hussamayloush.blogspot.com/2006/08/biography-of-hussam-ayloush.html

Monday, April 07, 2014

The following article was a talk presented by Dr.
Muzammil H. Siddiqi at the first meeting of American Muslims for
Jerusalem (AMJ) in Washington, DC on April 17, 1999.

Photo credit: Rina Castelnuovo for The New York Times

The city of Jerusalem is very sacred to Muslims. It is one of the three
most sacred cities in Islam. Jerusalem is called al-Quds al-Sharif (the
Noble Sacred Place). In order to understand the sacredness of this city
in Islam, one has to understand the faith structure of Islam.
There are three basic principles of faith in Islam:

Tawhid- Belief in the oneness of Allah

Risalah- Belief in the divine guidance through His chosen prophets and Messengers

Akhirah- Belief in life after death, divine judgment and heaven and hell

It is the second principle of faith in Islam that is directly related to our love and devotion to Jerusalem.

Jerusalem in the Islamic Faith
Islam recognizes all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah. The Quran has
mentioned many Prophets by name. Their stories and teachings are told
at varying length throughout the Quran. Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon,
Zachariah, John, (Yahya) and Jesus are among the honored Prophets and
Messengers of Allah according to Islam. Prophets David and Solomon are
also recognized by Jews and Christians as great kings and patriarchs of
ancient Isarel. However, in Islam they are honored as Allah’s great
Prophets. The Quran not only narrated their stories, but also restored
their honor by removing some of the charges and allegations there were
made against their characters by earlier communities. In the Bible,
Prophet David was accused of committing adultery (2 Samuel 11-12) and
Prophet Solomon was accused of idolatry (1 King 11). The Quran absolved
these prophets from all these charges (28:21-25; 38:30). This shows that
David and Solomon are more revered and respected in Islam than in
Jewish and Christian traditions.

Since the city of Jerusalem is historically associated with these
prophets of Allah, it naturally becomes a sacred city to Muslims. Islam
considers itself a continuation of the same spiritual and ethical
movement that was begun by the earlier Prophets. Historically and
theologically, Islam believes itself to be the true inheritor of the
earlier traditions of the Prophets and Messengers of Allah. It is for
this reason that the Quran called Palestine- the land associated with
the lives of many God’s Prophets- as al-ard al-muqaddasa (the Sacred
Land, 5:21) and its surroundings barakna hawlaha (God’s Blessed
Precincts 17:1).

The sacredness of the city of Jerusalem, according to Islam, is in its
historically religious reality. This is the city that witness the life
and works of greatest Prophets and Messengers of Allah. Here, divine
grace touched the earth repeatedly. Allah’s great Prophets and
Messengers lived and moved in its valleys and streets. Thus as Makkah
and Medina are blessed cities in Islam because of their association with
Prophets Abraham, Ishmael and Muhammad, in a similar way, Jerusalem is
blessed and important in Islam because of its association with other
prophets of Allah, namely David, Solomon an Jesus. Jews and Christians
do not recognize Ishmael and Muhammad as God’s Prophets and Messengers,
and do not consider Makkah and Medina as sacred cities to them. The
Muslims’ belief in Prophets Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus, compel
Muslims to recognize the sacredness and importance of Jerusalem.

Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi - Chairman of Fiqh Council of North America

Jerusalem in the Life of Prophet Muhammad
Due to its theological and religious status, Jerusalem had a very
important place in the life of Prophet Muhammad. In the year 620 CE
almost one and a half years before his Hijrah (migration) from Makkah to
Medina, the well-known event of Isra and Miraj (Night Journey and Ascension)
occurred. On this night, in a miraculous way, the prophet was taken on a
momentous journey from Makkah to Jerusaelm and from there to the
heavenly celestial abodes. The Night Journey was a great miracle that
Muslims believe was give to Prophet Muhammas as an honor and as a
confirmation of Makkah’s spiritual link with Jerusalem. The Night
Journey from Makkah to Jerusalem is called al-Isra’ and the ascension
from Jerusalem to the heaven is called al-Mi’raj. Both of these events
took place on the same night. Angel Gabriel took prophet Muhammad from
Makkah to Jerusalem. There it is reported that the Prophet stood at the
Sacred Rock (al-Sakhrah al-Musharrafah), went to the heavens, and
returned to Jerusalem where he met with many Prophets and Messengers and
led them in prayers.

After these experiences the Prophet was brought back to Makkah. The
story of Isra’ and Mi’raj is full of wonderful signs and symbols. It has
been interpreted by Muslim thinkers, mystics and poets in deep and
meaningful ways. The essential point is the Muslim’s deep devotion and
spiritual connection with Jerusalem.

During the Mi’raj, the Prophet is reported to have received from Allah
the command of five daily prayers (Salah) that al Muslims must perform.
Upon his return to Makkah, the Prophet instituted these prayers. It is
significant to note that he made Jerusalem the direction (al-Qiblah)
which Muslims must face while during their prayers. Jerusalem is thus
called Ula al-Qiblatain (the first Qiblah). The Prophet and the early
community of Islam worshiped in the direction of Jerusalem during their
stay in Makkah. After the Hijah Muslims in Medina also continued to use
the direction of Jerusalem for almost seventeen months. Then came the
command of Allah to change the direction from Jerusalem to Makkah
(2:142-150).

Muslim commentators of the Quran and historians have explained the
meaning and purpose of this change. Suffice it to say that the change of
the Qiblah in no way diminished the status of Jerusalem in Islam. The
Kabah in Makkah was meant to be the Qiblah from the beginning, because
the Quran said that it was the First House (Awwal Bait 3:96) established
for mankind to worship. The Kabah, however, was full of idols when
Prophet Muhammad began preaching his message of Tawhid (the Oneness and
Transcendence of Allah). A separation had to be made between the people
and the former pagan worship they had done at the Kabah. Jerusalem
served that purpose very well by distancing the people from their pagan
and idolatrous associations. Once monotheism was fully established in
the minds and hearts of the believers and the Kabah’s position with
Abraham with monotheism was made clear, the way was open to restore the
Kabah as the original direction of prayers. There are many instances of
this type of change (or abrogation, naskh, in Islamic legislation.
Visiting the graves was forbidden in the beginning, but later was
permitted because Muslims had learned the difference between visiting
the grave sites and ancestor worship. In the beginning Prophet Muhammad
forbade his people to write his own words except that which was the Word
of Allah. Later, he gave them permission to write Hadith as well.

It is interesting to note that the Kabah in Makkah was the original
direction of prayers for all the prophets of Allah. According to a
Hadith, the black stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad) had been in Makkah at the
place of the Kabah since the time of Adam. It was the Prophets Abraham
and Ishmael who built the Kabah under Allah’s command and direction
(2:125-127). The city of Jerusalem was established as a religious center
for the Israelite people by Prophets David and Solomon around the year
900 BC. This was almost one thousand years after the time f Prophet
Abraham and the building of the Kabah. Thus one can say that the Kabah
had a historical primacy over Jerusalem. Furthermore, it is important to
note that the bible says that the early Israelites in Jerusalem used to
turn in the southern direction when making their most sacred prayers
and offerings (Exodus 27:9ff; 40:24). The Kabah is in the southern
direction of Jerusalem. Thus, we can say that the Kabah was also the
Qiblah for the earlier Israelite communities as well.

Jerusalem in the Early History of Islam
Jerusalem came under Islamic rule during the time of the second Caliph
Umar in the year 638. It was a peaceful conquest. The ruling patriarch
of the city, Sophronius, offered the keys of the city to the Caliph
himself.

Upon entering the blessed city, the Caliph asked about the site of the
mosque of David (al-Masjid al-Aqsa) and the blessed Rock from where the
Prophet ascended in Mi’raj which was a desolate place at the time.
Romans had destroyed the so-called Temple in the year 70 CE and no
non-Christian or Christian ruler after that ever tried to build any
place of worship there. According to historians, it was a garbage dump, a
dunghill for the people of Jerusalem. Umar, upon learning that was the
site of the Masjid and the place where from the Mi’raj took place,
cleaned the site with his own hands and put his forehead in prayer on
the ground. The Masjid al-Aqsa was built in that area. Later, the Dome
of the Rock and a more elaborate mosque were built there in 691 CE.
Those were, perhaps, the first most expensive sacred monuments built in
the history of Islam.

Jerusalem was always held in great esteem by Muslims. The Prophet said:
“A journey should not be taken (with the intention of worship) except to
three mosques: the Sacred Mosque in Makkah, my Mosque in Medina and
Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.”

On the basis of this Hadith, Muslims always considered it as a religious
obligation to visit the city of Jerusalem, its mosque and its sacred
and blessed precincts. Often, pilgrims to Makkah made it a point to
visit Jerusalem, as well, on their way to Makkah and Medina.

Muslim rulers and philanthropists built many hostels, schools, and other
religious centers in and around the city. They purchased land and
dedicated it as a waqf (endowment) for religious purposes. The entire
city is virtually a waqf land which is non-salable and non-transferable.

Many Muslim scholars also migrated and settled in the city of Jerusalem.
Al-Aqsa Masjid was a great seat of learning. Thousands of pious people
and scholars made stipulations in their will to be buried in Jerusalem
upon their death. There are thousands, perhaps millions of Muslims’
graves in the city of Jerusalem.

Muslims also recognize the rights of Christians and Jews who hold the
city dear to their hearts and sacred in their faiths. Under Islamic rule
they were allowed to visit the city and many of them were given
permission to settle there. When Caliph Umar made the treaty with
Patriarch Sophronius, it was agreed, at the request of the Christian
patriarch that “No Jews will live with them in Aelia.” The Muslims
relaxed this rule and Jews were again permitted by Muslims to return and
live there. During their ninety-year rule (1099-1187), the Crusaders
banned both Jews and Muslims from the city.
The city of Jerusalem is very important to Muslims. Muslims have a right
to this city religiously, historically and legally. There are three
important points to remember about Islam and Jerusalem:

In the entire history of Jerusalem, from the time of Prophet David until the present, Muslims have ruled the city the longest.

Muslims maintained the sacredness of the city in the full sense of the word.

Muslims established and practiced the most tolerant multi-religious and multi-faith character of Jerusalem.

Friday, January 10, 2014

The label "terrorist" is one of the most
exploited and hypocritical political terms used in our modern time.

It is regularly used by our
government to describe the targets of our CIA's drone attacks (who mostly
turned out to be innocent civilians) or those who oppose our foreign
invasions. It is used by Israel to describe Palestinians who oppose its
illegal and brutal occupation of their land. It was
used by the psychotic Qaddafi to describe brave Libyans who demanded
freedom. It is used by the butcher Assad to describe and slaughter
Syrians who revolted against his dictatorship for freedom and democracy.
It is what Al-Sisi calls pro-democracy Egyptians who oppose his
military coup. It is how Bahrain labels Bahrainis who demand equal
rights and democracy. It is what China calls persecuted Uighurs and
Tibetans who demand basic human rights. It is what India calls the
occupied people of Kashmir for demanding freedom... There are
certainly groups such as Al Qaeda, Jewish Defense League, KKK,
Neo-Nazis, and many others which have engaged in terrorism and deserve to be labeled "terrorist". However, by falsely accusing their legitimate opponents of being
terrorists, governments that are actually engaging in terrorist-like
behavior seek to dehumanize those opponents in order to justify human
rights violations and murder against them and their communities. The
manipulation of the term also leads to the trivialization and
normalization of real acts of terror committed by such governments or
actual terrorist groups and individuals. Therefore, next time you
hear the term "terrorist", remember that it could be about a real
terrorist, a freedom fighter, a pro-democracy activist, or some
browned-skinned collateral damage.